Real Begining of the Phoenix
by HP-words.of.wisdom
Summary: It is the begining of the fifth year. Harry gets a mysterious message and goes to see Fudge. Only then does something happen to him that will change the Wizarding World. Please read and review!
1. The note

**Ch. 1 Where did he go?**

Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and the Weaslys reached King's Cross Station 3 minutes before eleven - just in time. Harry told Mr. and Mrs. Weasly good-bye and thanks for everything. He was embarrassed but pleased when Mrs. Weasly gave him an extra hug before helping him to get his trunk onto the Hogwarts Express. They all waved good-bye and then Harry realized that Ron and Hermione had left him. He set off looking for them, knowing they couldn't have gone far. As the train left the station, Harry realized that he was going home. As Harry walked, he realized that he was so relived that he was on this train. He didn't even care about the sniggers around him, directed at him. They were laughing because he told everyone that Voldemort was back. Harry was relived to be on the train only because a few days ago he had been at his hearing. All he was doing was repelling dementors from himself and his cousin, Dudley! That was one of Harry's specialties. He was good at producing a patronus.

Harry found Ron and Hermione putting their trunks into an empty compartment. As he walked in, they shuffled out. Ron was looking at his feet, and Hermione was looking as if she wanted to say something, but was afraid to. She now looked like she was going to explode if she didn't speak. Ron glanced at his watch twice before Hermione spoke.

"Oh, Harry. We're so sorry, but we have to go. We have to go to a prefect meeting, but I'm sure it won't take the whole time, and we will hurry back," said Hermione who looked very sorry indeed.

"Yeah, mate. It's not like I want to go or anything," Ron said.

"Yeah, I –" snapped Harry.

"Hey, Harry! Oh, hi Hermione, Ron . . . "

Harry, who had spun around so quickly that he had fallen over, gingerly picked himself up off the ground. He was determinedly not looking behind him, in case Cho was one of those giggling girls who were now starting to shriek with laughter.

"Oh, hi Neville," he said. He looked around and saw that his other two friends had left to go to their meeting. He and Neville went inside where it was much more quiet. Neville dumped his trunk inside the compartment and sat down on one of the empty seats. They talked about quiddich for a while, but mostly looked out of the window until Harry offered a game of wizarding chess. Neville, who was not very good, accepted.

Harry's queen was squashing Neville's pawn when the compartment door slid open. Afraid that it was Malfoy about to cast a spell on him when he wasn't expecting it, he looked up. He was staring into a 6-year female student who said that she had a note for Harry. He looked at her robe and saw that she was in Ravenclaw before taking in the words that she had just said. Startled, he grabbed it out of her hand and she skipped away humming. Harry skimmed the note. His heart jumped. The note read:

_Dear Mr. Harry Potter,_

_We are pleased to hear that you are doing well._

"Who said that I am doing well?!" exclaimed Harry. "I'm not really."

_I have asked Sally to deliver this note to you, because I wish to see you at a certain time. At half past six, I would like to see you at the very front of this train today. You will find a small door on the right side of the conductor. This leads onto a small 'balcony.' Yours truly,_

Cormilus Fudge

Minister of Magic

Neville, who had been reading the note over Harry's shoulder gasped.

"This sounds serious, Harry. What are you going to do?"

"Go, of course. It doesn't look like I have any other choice. But why on the balcony?"

There were still discussing this long after the little witch with the tea tray came by. Finally, Ron and Hermione came in, both looking exhausted and hungry. But when Harry showed them the note, they woke up at once. Hermione exclaimed over it during the next few hours, while Ron crammed chocolate frogs into his mouth. At last, Harry said he better get going. He slid his robes on, thinking that it would leave a better impression on Fudge at the moment, and then set off. The journey seemed to take Harry forever, and he looked down at his watch to see how long he really had been walking. But his watch was blank, as it had been ever since the second task of the triwizard tournament. Harry nervously took the last two steps into the conductors cabin. The old man nodded at him and he traveled through the door. He was alone and was wondering where Fudge was, if this was perhaps a trick, when a voice behind him broke the silence.

"Ah, here all ready. Not nearly as late as the time when we last met, I see. Good, good."

Harry bit his lip, not saying what he really wanted to. Then he let out a small scream, which he managed to turn into a cough, when he saw who was accompanying the minister. Wormtail. He was a death eater, the one who helped Voldemort return to his body, so why was he here? For a fleeting moment, he thought that Fudge had become a death eater or was under the Imperio Curse, before realizing that this was impossible. He didn't believe Harry, and he probably thought that Wormtail was innocent. Harry didn't know what to do. If he angered Wormtail, then he could press his finger to the dark mark on his left arm, and Voldemort would come. That would be terrible because Harry was in front of a train full of unsuspecting wizards and witches in training, some who had never managed a single spell, as this was there first year. He must protect the others.

"Ah, Potter. I see you have met my little friend, Wormtail. He seems to know you. but, I have been wishing to talk to you over the past fortnight," said Fudge interrupting his thoughts.

Harry turned towards him. "Why, so you can put some more false things in _The Daily Prophet_? If you really needed to talk, then you could have reached me by owl."

"Yes, Snape is quite right. You really do have no brains. What if the owl was intercepted? You need to think, my boy, think!" Harry hated Fudge more now then he ever had before in his entire life. "So, take a seat, we will be here for a while. I have a lot to say." With those words he conjured two leather armchairs and sat himself down into one of them. Harry lowered himself down into the other. "Now, as you know you had a hearing. But I want to talk about something different, Harry. Did you know that? Yes . . ."

Harry lost track of what Fudge was saying. Other then Fudge, it was oddly quiet out here. Something was wrong, he was sure of it. He glanced around. Where was Wormtail? As Harry looked around, he realized that he was not there anymore. And this was highly suspicious.


	2. The Dementors and the Mist

**Ch. 2 The Dementors and the Mist**

Harry knew that this was suspicious but he didn't say anything. Fudge was still talking about who knew what, but Harry heard his name mentioned several times. It must have been nearly eight o'clock by now and that meant that they would be at Hogwarts in an hour. Suddenly, something blocked the little light that was left. It must be a cloud thought Harry. Then Fudge stopped and looked sternly at Harry.

"Is it a yes or a no?"

"Ah . . . sorry, come again?"

You told Dumbledore all of the details from last June in that graveyard. Is that correct?"

"Yes," said Harry blandly. If he had to repeat this story again then he wouldn't make it.

"Well, Dumbledore has told me all of the details, so don't wet your pants! Anyways, I am ready to believe you. If Dumbledore thinks that he is back, then he is," Fudge rattled on for a few moments, looking very grave. Then he sighed and said to Harry, "I'm on your side now, I suppose."

Harry didn't care right now because he was still wondering what had happened to Wormtail. But he did notice that the thing covering the tiny speck of sun that was left, was moving closer. There were a few of them. Harry noticed the dark shapes and was shocked to realize that they were dementors.

"Fudge!" he shouted. Fudge gave him a firm look, perhaps because he had been interrupted, or because he had been called 'Fudge' by a 15-year old boy, and not Mr. or Sir. Harry couldn't have cared less. "Dementors are coming! They're right there! Look!"

Fudge pulled out his wand. Harry pulled his out, but didn't dare use it, for he was not in school, and Fudge would find some reason why Harry should be expelled. "Expecto Patrumum! No! Expecto Patronuo! Expeco Patronum!" Fudge must have realized that Harry was still there, and he wasn't performing a spell that came so easily to Harry, that he yelled, "EXPECTO PATRONUM" so loudly that a silvery reindeer shot out of his wand, made all three dementors disappear, and prance back to Fudge with such force that it knocked him over. Harry helped Fudge stand up while trying to smother a giggle against the back of his hand.

Then suddenly, a silver mist appeared and the train went right through it. Harry was thrown back but noticed that everything was quickly rewinding back until they were where Wormtail disappeared. Wormtail, where was he? Harry frantically looked around but only so Fudge. He had a slightly glazed look in his eye. Then the exact same speech came again. Harry thought that as soon as the dementors appeared, he would take care of them, so that mist wouldn't appear again. But this time, Fudge's speech was slowly putting him to sleep. When he was awake, Fudge was exclaiming about how irresponsible Harry was, and that he would never believe a word that he said. Harry shrugged half-heartedly.

He was dozing when the dementors came and they begin sucking out his soul. Harry grasped his wand tightly and thought of the happiest memory he could think of. It was hard to get the correct words out of his mouth, because of the dementor, but he managed just in time. He turned the stag towards Fudge, but it was too late. Fudge was lying there, worse then dead. He was now soulless, and Harry felt like this was his fault. If only the mist came again.

As Fudge wasn't saying anything, and wasn't obviously going to, Harry slowly walked back to his compartment leaving Fudge where he lay. He passed groups of laughing people, many who were staring and pointing at him. He made it to the compartment where his friends sat, and slumped inside. At once, they started attacking him.

"Why did Fudge need you?"

"What did he say?"

"Did he talk about you-know-who?"

"Was anybody else there?"

"Why did it take so long?" and then finally,

"Are you all right, Harry? You look horrible."

Harry nodded. He rubbed his head. His scar had not hurt hum at all, and that certainly was something. It must mean that Voldemort had nothing to do with this, after all. But who did?

Harry whispered the entire story to the three of them. He didn't wish to tell Neville, but he couldn't tell him to leave. When he finished speaking, the three of them were frozen with shock, looking stunned.

"And your scar didn't hurt at all?" asked Hermione again. Harry shook his head.

"Wow," said Neville and Ron together. "Wow."

As Harry and his friends stepped off the Hogwarts Express, he felt like something bad was about to happen. Something . . . bam! Harry fell unconscious before he reached the ground.


	3. Who's the real Minister of Magic?

**Ch. 3 Who's the real minister of magic?**

When Harry awoke, he was in a carriage and could see Hogwarts in the distance. He turned slowly around in his seat.

"Harry! Harry, are you okay? You fell so hard and so suddenly that we thought you . . . well . . ." Hermione mumbled.

"What happened?" Harry asked.

"We were going to ask you that, mate. You just kind of fell." Although Harry could not see Ron, he knew that it was his voice.

"Do you think you need to see Madam Pomfrey? She could give you some chocolate to eat and you would feel much better."

"No, I'm fine," Harry said briskly. "I don't want anyone to know what happened. I think it has something to do with Fudge and the death eaters. Maybe Voldemort is involved as well." He tried to sit up, having just realized that his head was in Hermione's lap. He instantly became so dizzy, that he had to lie down again. "I'm alright," he told himself.

Harry still couldn't stand properly after they reached Hogwarts, so he had to lean on Hermione as he walked into the Great Hall.

"Oh, Harry finally found himself a girlfriend! With a mudblood!" Malfoy shrieked.

"No, Harry, just keep walking," Hermione said to him.

After the sorting hat's song, the feast began. Everyone eat as much as they could and Dumbledore stood up for his speech.

"That's who I should tell. Dumbledore!" Harry whispered to Ron and Hermione. He saw still leaning on Hermione for support. "He is the one who needs to know!"

"The start of a new school year. What a wonderful time. A have just a few announcements before you can head to your dormitories. First of all, Filch wants me to remind you that dungbombs and several other items, all on the list of 403 items that are banned, are on his door. I should remind you that the forbidden forest is forbidden to everyone. Quidditch trials are this week, and you may talk to your head of house if you are wishing to try out. And finally, we have a new teacher this year. Dolores Umbridge from the ministry of magic."

Several Slytherins applauded and a handful of other students, not knowing what or whom they were clapping for.

"Now, head to your dormitories, for we have a full day ahead of us!" Dumbledore ended his speech and everyone began to stand up. Harry saw Hermione telling Ron to help the first years get to the Gryffindor dormitories, and she would help Harry.

As soon as Harry managed to get into his bed, he fell asleep. If only everyone else in the castle could just as easily. Several floors away, Dumbledore was pacing his study. He had found out what happened on the train when Hermione Granger stepped into his office several moments ago. This was terrible. He had arranged for several witches to help Fudge into Saint Mungos. They were now trying to help him as best they could.

Someone knocked on the door.

"Enter," Dumbledore said in his deep voice. "Hello, Percy. How can I help you this evening?"

Percy pretended that he didn't hear Dumbledore and looked down at his parchment. He began to read.

_Dear Dumbledore,_

_Hoping you are well. You probably heard about what happened to dear Cornelius Fudge. No one knows what happened, but it looks like a dementor's kiss. We need a new minister now, and everyone wants you, despite you being a liar about Voldemort's return. You will be forgiven if you help us. You are the wizarding world's only hope. Yes, you may remain headmaster of Hogwarts._

_**Rufus Scrimgeour**_

_**Head of Auror Department**_

"Well, I see I have to take this post. I am the wizarding world's last hope." Dumbledore sighed deeply. "I am an old man. I don't know how much help I can be, but I might as well try." With those words scribbled down by Percy, he sat down in his chair with a thud.


	4. The first day back

The following morning, Harry felt much better. He no longer felt sick when he stood, but he was a bit nervous about the day ahead. He went down to breakfast with his friends, and afterwards received his schedule. Fifth years got different schedules then before. They were allowed to drop one or two classes of their choice, excluding Transfiguration, Herbology, Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Charms. Instead of the classes they were dropping, they had free periods.

"I'm dropping History of Magic and Divination," Harry said and Ron agreed. "What are you dropping, Hermione?" He looked at her shocked face and said, "Oh, Hermione, you can't take everything!"

"Fine, then. I'm dropping . . . I suppose History of Magic." Hermione sighed. "It's a shame, though."

Ron and Harry rolled their eyes and then set off towards the greenhouses for Herbology. After their break, where the three of them whispered about Dumbledore becoming minister of magic, the news had leaked out in the morning, they trudged down to the dungeons for Potions. Snape had of course given them the hardest potion he could find that would be acceptable in this class level. It had to be stewed an exact number of times, and if you put in a pinch too much of a certain ingredient, it would blow up in your face. Hermione was the only one who managed to get this potion completed correctly. The only other person who managed not to have blown his potion up was Harry, and his potion was lime green instead of light purple.

"Snape is the worst," Harry said after class. "He gave me a zero and my wasn't half as bad as nearly everyone else's."

"Well, Snape has never been exactly fair, has he?" Ron Said through gritted teeth. He was covered in a hard blue plaster, the result of his potion. Hermione was giggling but she finally pulled out her wand to help Ron and his feeble attempts to get it off.

"Thanks a lot, Hermione. You are the best."

"No problem, Ron. Next time remember to add only one pinch of dragon's claw."

"Right."

While Hermione was helping Ron, Professor McGonagall was helping Dumbledore.

"Oh, Minerva. I don't know what to do. I am an old man and I can't travel back and forth to London. I need one job, but I need to help the wizarding community, too."

"I will help you Albus, if it's the last thing I do."

"Thank you, Minerva. I believe I have a plan to help us a bit.


	5. Power

"Minerva, I can't do this. I am terrible with power. If I have too much, I begin to do bad things. Today, I almost made a bridge collapse. Actually it did collapse, but I fixed it just in time. But I won't always be able to save the day."

"Surely, you can't be thinking of quitting your job as minister of magic. We need you."

"Ah, but I am no more help then a normal wizard. Not many people are ready to believe that Voldemort is back. I will not be helping anyone by forcing them to believe something they don't want to."

"But, Albus . . ."

"Yes, I have decided. I will stay here. I will be the minister of magic just long enough to help sort everything out. You don't know the things that I can do with power, Minerva."

"Oh, I am sure that you can do extraordinary things. And that is why we need you. You, Albus, are the only one who Voldemort feared. There is something special about you, that none of us have."

"How very flattering, Minerva. But I have reached my decision." Dumbledore's voice was now cold and a bit harsh. Professor McGonagall recognized this as a sign to leave, but she couldn't just yet.

"Albus, you do not understand. Voldemort is out to kill Harry Potter, and anybody who gets in his way, will only die. Voldemort is more then willing to kill anyone who stands up to him. Nobody has a chance against him, except for you, Albus. That is why we need you."

"That is not true. I cannot kill him. Only Harry Potter can." Professor McGonagall let out a gasp.

"But he's only a boy!"

"True, Minerva, but not for long. Only Harry Potter has a power that Voldemort has not and can use it properly. And we know how powerful and strong that person must be.

"What is this power? How can _only_ young Harry defeat the darkest wizard of all time, when you, the most gifted wizard the world has ever seen, can not?"

"You would not understand, Minerva," Dumbledore said sadly.

"Wouldn't understand?" Professor McGonagall said her nostrils flaring. "How could I not?"

"I am terribly sorry, but this is between Harry and myself and that is it."

"Oh, very well. I suppose you will tell me eventually, though?"

"Yes, but in several months, if not years. It depends on how ready Harry is."

"Ready for what, Albus?"

"The truth."

If Professor McGonagall was still confused, she did her best not to show it. After all, Dumbledore seemed tired enough, and she thought it best not to bother him at this hour.

"Very well. I shall tell Scrimgeour that you wish to meet with him, and that you are resigning from your post as minister of magic."

"Thank you, Minerva. Please send it immediately, so that he gets it in the morning." Dumbledore sank down into a big comfy armchair and closed his eyes peacefully. "Please shut the door, Minerva."

"Yes, of course," she answered as she quietly stepped out of his office. She herself was tired, but must mail this letter. As she walked, she sealed the parchment and set off towards the owlery.


End file.
